Month: March 2019

In September before TeddyCon my company of 12 1/2 years announced that they were going to offer voluntary separation packages to those who would like to take the exit.

The wording was in a ways that said “If you want to get out, get while the getting’s good, because if we do forced reductions you won’t get this good an offer”

I decided to volunteer. I had until November to decide that I wanted to do it. It was announced in December that I was picked and my end date is fast approaching early spring 2019.

With the package that I am getting I will have the funds to take a longer vacation than I normally would have. I also have benefits to last me for the rest of the year as well.

I plan to use this time to grow my photography business and to try to re-build my DJ and photobooth business as well.

I am going to CapCon 2019 as a vendor – stop over to the photobooth where you can take a photo and have it ready immediately.

I have decided to shut down the forums on my website, there were way underused; which is probably due to the fact that all posts were moderated for new users, and I was not that good at approving posts. Plus there are so many more places that people congregate at these days, like Fetlife.com, Instagram, and more.

First things first, TeddyCon is not like other cons. Bigness is not their thing, they keep it small and it works well for them; you are a family at TeddyCon.

Leaving out on Wednesday morning and coming back Sunday was the plan, 500 miles each way in a rental car.

With TC, since it is so far away being an 8 hour trip clear across Pennsylvania; I leave on Wednesday, this way I am at the hotel the night before, well rested and ready to have fun. Plus if I wanted to get there by the time it started, I’d have to drive overnight, which just is not going to happen with me.

I was a little later coming in than I had planned, and am sorry that my friend William had to wait in the lobby of the hotel since the room was in only my name. After arriving we ended up eating at Applebee’s before going to Target to get some toiletries that I thought I forgot (I found them later).

We headed back to the hotel to rest as we both had did enough traveling that day.

Thursday morning – the fun begins

Convention registration opens up pretty much right after the hotel has ensured that all the “nilla” guests have departed. Will and I got in line to get our badges. As always I find a helper to write my name on my badge because I’m just a little kid with horrible handwriting.

We checked out the space, waited in line for our Build a Buddies,

We attended the crafts, classes and fun events before going off to dinner, I think we did Moe’s Southwest grill that night.

Friday – Day 2 of the fun that is TeddyCon

As if Thursday was not enough, there’s Friday.

I know I slipped into Dr. Rhoda’s class, checked out the swings outside, maybe colored a picture. Did more socializing and visited the vendors.

Saturday – Day 3

I made Oobleck which was so neat. Then I went to the Lil Tykes Swim class…. That was so much fun.

Unfortunately after the swim class I slipped while walking around the pool area and suffered contusions to my ribs. It did not hurt that bad at the time, but the next morning I went to urgent care. I honestly am not sure what we did for dinner, because I most likely was sore and did not want to go out.

I must state that when I fell the TC staff took great concern for my safety and health. I was urged to go to urgent care that night, but deferred going till the next morning.

Sunday – not fun day

I awoke early and drove myself to the urgent care up the road. Since I was a bit early, I ended up getting Dunkin’ and gassing up the rental van for the ride back home. After getting x-rays and checked out to find nothing was broken and there was no imminent danger; I was given prescriptions for pain relief and muscle relaxers. I got my stuff packed up with the help of William and dropped him off at the airport and headed home.

I basically drove until I reached the half-way point right before getting off the turnpike, I got out, went to the bathroom, got food and got back in and rolling on. I stopped again outside Columbus Ohio to get gas.

After the con….

Honestly I felt ok, just a little sore when I got home. My mom helped me get the stuff out of the van that night and I got changed for bed.

I had Monday off work, which I always do for the Cons. I was a bit more sore but thought I would make it for work on Tuesday.

Tuesday morning I got up again sore even more. By the time I got ready and into my van – I had hit critical mass on my pain. As soon as I ducked down to get my big head in the door pain shot through me like I had never felt. Luckily I was now in the vehicle. After waiting for the pain to lessen I called my mom from the driveway and told her I was going to my doctor’s walk-in so he could write me off work possibly and take a look at the x-rays from urgent care.

My doctor was worried about what he saw on the films and had me go to the hospital for further x-rays and made me an appointment THAT DAY with a general surgeon to review the x-rays.

The further x-rays did not find anything else. I was wrote off from work until the next week and was on FMLA.

There was no way that I was able to wear diapers, as every time I lay on my back, my chest muscles and back would start to spasm.

When I fell I put my spine out of alignment but could not go to the chiropractor for over 3 weeks because my chest was still too sore to lay flat on it.

Regrets….

I really wished that I had went to much more of the activities and classes. Looking back I really did not attend many of them.

I also wish I would have left my pool/aqua shoes on even though they hurt my feet…. This is why I fell because I took them off and was walking barefoot.

Overall

I had a great time and I will be back again, as I’ve already bought my ticket and have a room. Anybody coming from the central ohio area that won’t annoy me to death for that 8 hour drive?